Signal for railway-crossings



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lE. A. HERMANN. SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY ROSSINGSf No. 536,429. Patented Mar. 26, 1895'.

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` BQA. HERMANN. 4SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY GROSSINGS.

No. 536,429. Patented Mar. 26, 1895-.

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nDwARD A. HERMANN, or Sr. Louis, MISSOURI.

SIGNAL FOR RAILWAY-CROSSINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,429, dated March 26, 1895. Application tiled October l, 1894. Serial No. 524,65. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD ADOLPH HER- MANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Signals for Railway-Crossings, of Which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings,formingapart of this speciication, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my improved signal. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View therethrough; Fig. 3 is an end elevational view. Fig. 4t is a cross-sectional view. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are detail views of an irnproved means for cutting in the signaling circuit from the main-line trolley wire. Fig. 9 is a schematic view of the manner of wiring a crossing, provided with my signal; and Fig. 10 is a schematic view of the wiring of the signal-box. l

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in signals, of that class which are especiallyadapted for use at railway-crossings to indicatev the approach of a train or electric car, and consists, generally stated, first, in the peculiar construction and arrangement of the parts comprising the signalingbox, whereby, upon the approach of a train or car, a visible (and audible, also, if desired) signal-is operated to indicate such approach' and give warning thereof, which signal, or the characters composing the signal, while in a position of rest, are invisible or indistinguishable even at a short distance; second, the construction and arrangement of the means for cutting in a local signaling circuit from the main-'line Wire; third, the manner of Wiring the crossing and signal-box; and, finally, the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts comprising my improved signal, all as will hereinafter be describedand afterward pointed ont in the claims.

The object of this invention is to automatically indicate the approach or position of a car, or other electrically-propelled vehicle, at a railway, street, or other crossing, or a curve, bridge, or other point where a visible or audible (or both) signal is desired to indicate approaching danger, `or notify the vehicle to stop or proceed, or for any other purpose of warning so as to arrest attention.

In the drawings, A indicates the signalingropes may be attached to suspend the box. Hinged to the top-piece 2, are sashes 7, whichA have mounted therein plates of glass orother transparent or translucent material 8. Suitable latch-bolts 9 are provided lon the lower edges ofthe sashes, which co-operate with the bottom-piece 2 to lock the sashes in position.

The middle partition-piece l dividesthe box into two longitudinal compartments, which are closed at their ends, by pieces 10, said central brace l terminating at the pieces 10. Located near the extreme ends of the box, and between the sashes 7, are two sashes 11, which afford seats for panes of glass l2, and form end compartments in the box. In the end compartments and the two side compartments, are arranged incandescent lamps, 13, which may be in multiple, or in series, as illustrated in Fig. 10. The glasses 12 in the `ends of the box are, preferably, green in color, and, when the signal operates, are visible to the motorman. The glasses, 8, in the sides ofy the box are, preferably, red in color, one of" the faces of which, preferably the inner, is painted black or. some dark color, leaving unpainted spaces in the form of letters or characters which, when the lamps are operated, are visible warnings of the approach of a car.

In order to make the characters indistinguishable or invisible when the lamps are not being operated, I paint the/interiors of the several compartments with Va coloring pigment of the same color, but ot' a darkershade,

as the respective glasses, which interior willV not reflect light from the outside to make the characters perceptible, when it is desirable that they should not 'be so.

Attached to the box A, at some suitable point, is a compartment, B, into which a bell may be located, which bell is in a shunted circuit, and is sounded when the lights 13v are operated. This box is preferably perforated roo at its sides to permit the sound waves to escape. A switch may be 'introduced in the shunted circuit to cut out the bell, if desired.

The Wiring of the box is, preferably, such as to make the lamps in series, with the bell in shunt around a lamp or other resistance, as shown in Fig. 10. The current passes along the signal wire 14, through the lamps, 13, to the ground, or return-wire of the cir- Io cuit.

The means for cutting in a local signal circuit to the wire 14, from the main-line wire 15, is illustrated in Figs. 5 to 8, and may be said, briefly, to consist in a pivoted arm or movable support 16 for the main-line wire, to

the end of which arm is secured some suitable means for securing the main-line 15. This arm is pivoted at 17 in an insulation block 18, and is preferably provided with a zo buffer 19 in the form of an encircling rubber band, to counteract the effect of the impacting blows which might be delivered against the insulation-block, 18, which might chip or crack the saine, and, also, to insulate the arm from the moisture which accumulates on the insulation-block.

When the trolley-wheel, on the passing car, runs under the main-line wire supported in the pivoted arm 16, said trolley-wheel will 3o lift the main-line wire and its supportingarm, as shown in Fig. 7, until it comes in contact with a spring, 2l, forming the terminal contact of wire 14. This springQl is, preferably, arranged on the under side of an'insulation block 22, and in the path of the arm 16, said spring and arm being, preferably faced with platinum, or other suitable material, on their contacting faces, to counteract the deteriorating effects of sparking. Pref- 40 erably, there are a number of these cuttingin devices arranged on the trolley-wire in advance of the crossing, so that the signal will be operated for quite a while before the car reaches the crossing. Each of the springs,

2l, is connected `by a Wire, 23, to the mainley-wire 15 normally causes the arm 16 to 5o hang down, and that when a car approaches the arm, the upward pressure of the trolleywheel, due to the spring at the foot of its pole, will lift the trolley-Wire, and with it the piV- oted arm 16, until said arm is stopped by con- 5 tacting with spring 21, when a current is established through the wires 23 aud 14 and lamps, effecting two circuits in 'parallel from the trolley-wire to the ground or return-wire; one through the motor on the car, and the 6o other through the signal. The spring 21 prevents any momentary breaking of the current, should the arm 1G move up or down, due to the uneven pressure of the trolley, produced by a rough track or other means. After the rst arm has .been passed, the car is in posi` tion to elevate the next arm, and so on, until the signaling section has been traversed, during which time the signal is in constant operation. I [t will, also, be noted that but one wire, and that the trolley, is between the guards of the trolley-wheel,and the signaling circuit is made and maintained, without the use of delicate mechanism, which might soon get out of order.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my device, can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a signal-box, the combination with the I-shaped mainframe, of sashes containing colored glasses, hinged at the sides, sashes containing glasses forming end compartments, and strap-irons, formed with eyes in their ends, arranged on the top and bottom of the box, substantially as described.

2. The combination with twin insulators, of an arm pivoted to one of said insulators, and insulation on one end of the arm to con tact with the insulator when the arm is in its normal position, a trolley wire which is supported by the arm, and asignal wire which is cut into circuit when the arm and its carried trolley wire is actuated by the passing trolley wheel, substantially as described.

3. The combination with twin insulators, of an arm pivoted to one of said insulators, a trolleywire supported bysaid arm, and a contact point on the other insulator, with which electrical con nection is made upon the passage of the trolley-wheel beneath the pivoted arm, substantially as described.

4. The combination with twin insulators,of an arm pivoted to one of said insulators, an insulationon one end of the arm to contact with the insulator when the arm is in its normal position, a trolley-wire which is supported by the other end of the arm, a spring contact on the other insulator, and a wire leading from said contact to ground or a return-Wire, in the length of which wire is introduced a signaling device, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a trolley-wire, of a pivoted arm which supports the same, a contact point in the path of said arm, whereby,

upon the passage of a trolley-wheel, the arni is raised into electrical contact therewith, a wire which leads from said contact to lamps located in a signaling-box, aground or return wire leading from said box, and a bell which is operated' by a shunted circuit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in presence o f two Witnesses, this 26th day of September, 1894.

EDVARD A. HERMANN.

Vitnesses:

F. R. CORNWALL, HUGH K. WAGNER.

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